More Walk Out On Marcos -- Diehards Fire At Crowd

February 25, 1986|By United Press International

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Soldiers loyal to President Ferdinand Marcos opened fire on demonstrators Tuesday as Marcos desperately fought for the survival of his 20-year-old regime, vowing to resist an escalating rebellion ''to the last drop of blood.''

Rebels claimed they had seized the airport, sealing off one of the possible escape routes for Marcos, who said his family was ''cowering in terror'' at the palace.

In growing U.S. pressure, the U.S. government urged the embattled Marcos to resign and hurriedly ordered special envoy Philip Habib back to Manila Monday night to arrange a peaceful solution. Marcos's own diplomatic corps around the world also advised him to quit.

The rebels, meanwhile, proclaimed a provisional government headed by the president's archrival, Corazon Aquino, and prepared to swear in Aquino, who says she was deprived of victory in the Feb. 7 election because of massive fraud by Marcos' political machine.

In continuing defections, the 800 Filipino guards at giant Clark Air Base, the largest overseas U.S. military facility in the world, endorsed the rebels and their three-day mutiny.

The rebels said they controlled 50 percent of the 250,000-strong military forces and sources said they expected an imminent attack on Camp Crame, the military base where the rebel leaders were entrenched.

Radio Veritas, operated by the Roman Catholic Church, reported five civilians were wounded by troops who opened fire on anti-Marcos demonstrators outside the presidential palace.

The rebel-controlled television station reported eight civilians were wounded when the troops opened fire. The station said five of those hit were taken to hospitals, including a U.S. correspondent for Newsweek magazine, Melinda Liu, 34, who was hit in the leg. It said the shootings were sparked when the demonstrators set off firecrackers.

One victim said soldiers chased him before shooting at him.

A rebel officer, identified only as Col. Gador, said elements of the Aviation Security Command, which controls Manila International Airport, have come out in support of rebel troops and the airport is now in rebel hands. He said two tanks had been sent to the airport as support.

A rebel officer, Brig Gen. Eduardo Ermita, said loyalist troops destroyed a Radio Veritas transmitter with mortars and machine-gun fire. The station continued to broadcast, however, using a weaker transmitter.

Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile, who with Lt. Gen. Fidel Ramos, deputy armed forces chief, began a rebellion against Marcos Saturday, appealed to the presidential troops not to hurt ''unarmed citizens who were not doing any wrong.''

Marcos called on loyalist forces to converge on Malacanang Palace with arms to fight the rebels ''to

the last breath.''

''I am telling you, our loyalists, we are here. We are not going to abandon the office of the presidency,'' Marcos declared Monday after state-run television, radio and news agency outlets were overrun by rebel supporters.

Earlier as Marcos tried to address the nation on government TV, his speech was cut off in midsentence when rebels seized the studio in a fight with pro- Marcos forces. The rebels began their own broadcasts and some Marcos marines sent in to oust them put down their arms and joined the uprising. Four soldiers and a civilian were reported wounded in the battle to gain control of the state-run media.

Marcos, 68, declared a state of emergency and a curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. in a bid to stem the rebellion that began Saturday with the mutiny of the two key military figures and later picked up support from thousands of civilians who gathered outside Camp Crame.

Tens of thousands of demonstrators responded to calls by the rebellious military leaders to disobey Marcos' curfew and maintain barricades erected outside the camp.

Marcos said he would go ahead with a swearing-in ceremony today, installing himself as president for another six-year term. The Marcos- controlled National Assembly declared him the winner of

fraud-tainted Feb. 7 elections but critics said he stole the vote from challenger Aquino.

But rebellious military leaders announced they had organized a provisional government headed by Aquino and Salvador Laurel, her vice presidential running mate in the election.

Aides to Aquino said she would hold a counterinaugural and be sworn in as president of the provisional government this morning.

Marcos dismissed the growing chorus of calls for his resignation and exile. ''We have no intention of going abroad,'' Marcos said. ''We have no intention of resigning. And we will defend to the last breath of our life and to the last drop of blood.''

''We intend to use all the forces at our disposal to survive this crisis,'' he said, suggesting he would pass out arms to supporters who come to the palace.